[dev1052] Group 1/Group 2 Merit Point refinements SCh edition

[brayen]

i will get the ball rolling here, try to keep it neat and to the point guys!

group 1:
light/dark arts recast: this would be better if it added to the benefits/penalty for the respected arts such as 1% less mp 1% less cast/recast per merit
helix dmg: with the regen and helix changes, could we add regen into this merit as to boost both our "over time" spells?
mod verita: this JA still fails 99% of the time, till it is fixed this is worthless
sublimation: not sure what could be done for this, maybe increase the total amount restores from 10 per merit to 20? (...not really sure on this one, not a big fan of this merit)

group 2:
sotrmsurge: either boost the effect or add to it such as +1% atk boost per merit to firestorm or even adding to resist would be nice(example: 10 resist per stat gained, so firestorem with max merit = 70 fire res)...maybe even upping the stat to 2 per merit for total of 10 would be nice. Sad to say this is our best merit for group 2 so would not mind any improvements.
Enlightment: this is a useful ability, however it retains the penalty of the arts you are under, would like to see this fixed so you are given both light and dark art bonuses for the duration of this ability(which is one spell)
the other 4 stratagems merits: to be frank these are all very bad merits in my opinion. to start off drop needing 2 stratagems and make it 1. the -enmity stratagem doesn't even stack with our pax spell. The macc stratagem is fairly low. (someone else feel free to tackle these 4 merits, i rly think they need to completely redo these to be worth even considering)

(note: not sure refinement encompasses new merits for the category so i will refrain from adding any random ideas)

[Zhronne]

group 1:
light/dark arts recast: this would be better if it added to the benefits/penalty for the respected arts such as 1% less mp 1% less cast/recast per merit

Uhm... that would be good, maybe too good, and it's not like we can cap every category, so I guess leave them as they are.

helix dmg: with the regen and helix changes, could we add regen into this merit as to boost both our "over time" spells?

Awesome idea!

mod verita: this JA still fails 99% of the time, till it is fixed this is worthless

This talent would be even more awesome than ever with a 3 mins MV...
...if only MV sticked on something.
I mean, with that kind of miss rate I'd be much happier with a 10 or even 15 mins recast but the old pre-nerf accuracy >__>
They need to do something about MV to make this merit look interesting once again.
Maybe allow magic accuracy gear to count? I can understand MV having a chance to miss, I'm fine with the idea, but here we're talking about MV having a chance to hit which doesn't sound very balanced to me...

sublimation: not sure what could be done for this, maybe increase the total amount restores from 10 per merit to 20? (...not really sure on this one, not a big fan of this merit)

Why not? Doesn't look bad to me. Altough yes, 10>20 is probably needed for level 99.

sotrmsurge: either boost the effect or add to it such as +1% atk boost per merit to firestorm or even adding to resist would be nice(example: 10 resist per stat gained, so firestorem with max merit = 70 fire res)...maybe even upping the stat to 2 per merit for total of 10 would be nice. Sad to say this is our best merit for group 2 so would not mind any improvements.

Cool ideas but too complicated, I say they should just boost the stats bonus given. Currently it's 7 if I recall? Should go to 10 at least, possibly even more.
Weather spells are nice, only think I whine about is that I can't AoE them without going into Light Arts =/ And the lenght yeah, 5 mins would be much better

Enlightment: this is a useful ability, however it retains the penalty of the arts you are under, would like to see this fixed so you are given both light and dark art bonuses for the duration of this ability(which is one spell)

Your idea is the best, but I'd be happy enough with the ability of being able to use at least 1 stratagem from the opposite grimorie before casting a spell.
Taking for example the Weather spells issue I was talking about earlier:
1) Make weather spells last 5 mins (it's currently 3 if I Recall?)
2) Make Enlightenment allow you to use one Stratagem
3) Pop Enlightenment, use Accession, use the weather of your choice

BAM! AoE your BLM pt with Ice weather!
Altough yeah... I guess nobody uses BLM pts anymore >_>

And yeah, I agree the special stratagems are kinda moot, especially with the 2 charges required.
Speaking of which... I really hope we're getting another charge at level 99 <_<

[Sotek]

Grimoire Recast: -1 second on Stratagem recast per merit. Or any reasonable number really, personally I'd like to see 40 second recast but eh.
Modus Veritas: Exactly the same as it is currently plus increased accuracy since SE refuses to except how idiotic their choice in adjustments have been with Modus.
Sublimation: Increase the total amount it will charge by a percent rather than a flat number.
Helix: Changed to enhances Light/Dark Arts in line with the current changes. Pretty much the same as OP.

Enlightenment: Changed to swapping Light Arts to Dark Arts and Addendum: White to Addendum: Black and so on. I find it next to useless as it currently is, I probably wouldn't find this much better but it's better than having a 5/5 merit ability solely for casting Reraise.
Stormsurge: Change the stats increase to mimic the Gain spell line (increases based on Enhancing skill) and add +2% weather effect per merit to effectively double their effect at 5/5. Having Scholars best merit option as nothing more than 7INT is pathetic.
Stratagems: A complete overhaul would be nice, but since I doubt that will happen: drop their cost to 1 Stratagem and combine all four into two merit options; so Altruism and Focalization are both one option, etc.

(note: not sure refinement encompasses new merits for the category so i will refrain from adding any random ideas)

Sadly I wont. Well, I'll just copy/paste from another post anyway.

-Geminus (JA, 10 minutes)
Allows next spell to be cast without using up current Stratagems, while still gaining their effect.
Additional merits -1.15 recast.
-Geomancer (JA, 10 minutes)
Enhances the effect of the next Storm spell cast. Sandstorm = Stoneskin, Voidstorm = Refresh, etc.
Additional merits enhance bonus further.
-Fusion Helix (spell)
Deals Light and Fire damage that gradually reduces target's HP. Duration affected by Elemental magic skill. Fusion elemental properties for Immanence.
+3MAB and +5MACC per additional merit.
-Distortion Helix (spell)
Deals Water and Ice damage that gradually reduces target's HP. Duration affected by Elemental magic skill. Distortion elemental properties for Immanence.
+3MAB and +5MACC per additional merit.
-Gravitation Helix (spell)
Deals Darkness and Earth damage that gradually reduces target's HP. Duration affected by Elemental magic skill. Gravitation elemental properties for Immanence.
+3MAB and +5MACC per additional merit.
-Fragmentation Helix (spell)
Deals Lightning and Wind damage that gradually reduces target's HP. Duration affected by Elemental magic skill. Fragmentation elemental properties for Immanence.
+3MAB and +5MACC per additional merit.

Call it group 3 merits if you want, I call it "What Scholar should have got post 75". Actual group 3 merits will comprise of "-Libra recast" and "Enhances Animus effect".

Oh, and semi-related to the topic, I'd like to see Magic Critical Hit rate added to misc merits.

[Zhronne]

I love the special helix ones, similar to the fusion magic of another thread.
That would be way too much work for them though, not going to happen and we all know it

[Einalem]

For Group 1:
Grimoire Recast: This would need to be markedly better or change to Stratagem Recast. If they keep it in the same vein though, reduction would need to at LEAST be on par with Stratagem Recharge, which is currently 48 seconds (40 if they add a sixth stratagem) so max capping at 50 second recharge doesn't quite cut it. At least -4 seconds/Merit to be safe.
Simply the addition of Tabula Rasa 0 recast negates this merit group in extreme cases.

Modus Veritas Duration: Modus Veritas is junk currently and we all know it. I still think that if they are wanting to dissuade mass stacking, they should make Modus Veritas Duration merits linked to Modus Veritas Accuracy. Someone with 0/5 Merits = 100 % Accuracy, someone with 5/5 Merits = 65% Accuracy. (also, should be usable on a friendly target with Regen for symmetry)

Helix Mag Atk/Acc: Works for what it is, might need a re-adjustment for proper atk/acc with lvl 99 in mind.

Max Sublimation: I would only make this scale more by making it a %HP increase rather than a flat number. Like a 5% HP cap addition making the stored total 50% Max HP at full. Might be OP, but better to err on the side of power at the suggestion stage.

For Group 2:
Altruism/Focalization: I would also combine these as one merit and make the stratagem cost 1 instead of two.

Tranquility/Equanimity: I would also combine these as one merit and make the stratagem cost 1 instead of two.

Enlightenment: I would make this mini Tabula Rasa for a single cast. All arts Bonuses applied with a full post-addendum spell list. I understand limitations on stratagem use and having to be in a Specific Arts and have hear a lot of complaints about having to swap with Addendums, etc. So I propose keeping it a 10 min recast, but the merits refresh a Stratagem at the end of the spell cast. 5 Merits, Get 5 Stratagem recharged. This way you can go back to Arts with addendum, or use it to clutch refresh Stratagems in a pinch, kind of like how Tabula Rasa leaves you with all stratagems in place at duration's end.

Stormsurge: I would change the scaling to 10 (5 Voidstorm) and as SCH has no Bar- spells have it add a damage reduction percent from element. This would add more to SCH healing tools as it would lower cure burden.

[Laxedrane]

They need to do something about MV to make this merit look interesting once again.
Maybe allow magic accuracy gear to count? I can understand MV having a chance to miss, I'm fine with the idea, but here we're talking about MV having a chance to hit which doesn't sound very balanced to me...

I always thought they should do one of two things. Either:

A. Make it so that modus vertas always land but if a second scholar goes to do it then the accuracy would go to crap.
or
B. Just make it so you can't stack it.

Although I am guessing both be hard to program sense it's adjusting an enfeeble already on it. Does MV even count as a status effect?

The only reason it needed to be nerfed was becuase a group of scholars could boost a helix to take out huge chunks of hnm mobs hp. The base effect of it however was not particularly over powering. So the solution to the problem should of limited the chance of the problem happening or completely avoiding it. Not just completely turn the ability to shit.

[Zhronne]

That wasn't really the way to nerf it... they should have just gone for B, altough the fact they didn't probably makes me think it would have been an hassle for them to program it, while "nerfing it" was much faster/easier.

[Sotek]

Modus never made sense from the very start. It stacks? What possible application could that have had? I don't even want to think about the fact that one of the developers (who has hopefully moved to FFXIV) didn't see the glaring exploit to be had in having it stack infinitely. Seriously, I'm sure we can all agree on how many Scholars one would expect in a party or alliance, how did SE fail to do that when making the damn job and cap the number of times Modus stacks at say, three times? In most situations I don't even think it would ever be stacked. At this point it most certainly never will be, everything is either low manned so there is only one Scholar present, or people are in an alliance trying to fill as many different jobs in to optimize stagger procs in which case no Scholar is present because White Mage gets Helices and the two abilities don't even work last I checked. Oh wait Embrava until everyone gets that, one Scholar again then.

But you know what? SE doesn't give a rats ass. Everyone, myself more so, has detailed the great big fallacy in Modus and SE turns around with "It's working as expected". They don't care that no one is ever going to stack it, or maybe they do. It's only a matter of time until they realize that there will only ever be one Scholar in an alliance and thus only one Modus, but then they'll realize there are plenty of /Scholars about and well, they've already pushed Helices down there so why not Modus? I can honestly see this happening at some point. If it doesn't I'll eat my hat (jokes on you I don't own a hat, plus its going to happen).

Call it childishness, but at this point I think SE should either do absolutely nothing regarding Scholar or simply do exactly as I say. Are my ideas brilliant? Of course not, most of them are idiotic, but at least they offer some sort of damn benefit for those of use unfortunate enough to have leveled Scholar to the level cap and I at least have an idea of what Scholar should be, unlike the development team (actually serious here, I'm fairly sure the development team has absolutely no direction for Scholar, considering its changed twice in the past year, if not three times). Leave it to SE and they'll decide low level Scholars could do with feeling even more Scholar-like by having some enmity control. Screw Voidwatch, Scholar doesn't need any unique procs - it worked in Abyssea after all. Leveled Scholar to Lv.99 expecting something unique? Silly you, all these low level Scholars are demanding Scholars merits all be dropped to Lv.5 and theres apparently enough of them to outweigh both the English speaking and Japanese Scholar communities combined. To hell with the fact that leveling up is a purely transitional state and monsters don't even live long enough for Helices to do anything, it damages Scholar in the long run and benefits absolutely nobody, so SE is honor bound to do it.

I'll try to be serious and on topic for a moment, no promises though:

Sooooo, kind of more of a Light/Dark Arts adjustment, but it effects the merits as well.
Arts give a -10% MP cost and -10% cast time, with Stratagems mirroring that but not stacking. I figure the same thing is in line for Rapture/Ebullience and the merit Stratagems.
So, naturally on Arts we get 20% of whatever Stratagems we have.
Rapture and Ebullience mean we get a natural +10% and +4% on Light and Dark Arts.
Altruism and Focalization give a +1 Magic Accuracy per merit to their respective Arts.
Tranquility and Equanimity give -2 Enmity per merit to their respective Arts.

Could apply it to Perpetuance and Immanence but since SE decided to blow all sense of duality away with those (extended duration buffs for Light and extended duration enfeebles/Helix for Dark, seriously SE, why do you do this?) I see no reason to include them, not to mention its probably impossible. I mostly just want a native +4 Magic Accuracy for those four worthless merits I spent, if they're going to stay at 2 charges forever might as well seek some use out of them.

[Pebe]

The reason I believe SE didn't enhance SCH enfeebles is because of what I posted before regarding SCH = Enhancer role and RDM = enfeebler role. It would have come far to close to Rdm's Saboteur and that is a big no-no considering the sorry state RDM is in as well. Got to leave them with something right?

[Daniel_Hatcher]

The reason I believe SE didn't enhance SCH enfeebles is because of what I posted before regarding SCH = Enhancer role and RDM = enfeebler role. It would have come far to close to Rdm's Saboteur and that is a big no-no considering the sorry state RDM is in as well. Got to leave them with something right?

Enhancer with no real, relevant enhancing magic.